Hey! Glad you could make it.
I’m just talking to a hot potential client. Bear with me and listen in for a moment…
ME: Yep, I’m available from the first of the month.
CLIENT: Great, and how much do you charge?
ME: For this project it’ll be $700 a week… Or, you know, I could probably make it $600…
Go ahead. Tap me on the shoulder. Tell me I’m an idiot. Stop me.
I wish somebody had.
That conversation actually happened last summer, and my pathetic negotiation fail cost me $100 per week for 3 months. That’s more than $1200, and I gave it up for no reason at all.
What went wrong?
Here’s how you can avoid falling into the errors I made that day:
Screw-up #1: Pricing on the spot
You don’t have to quote a price as soon as a potential client asks your rate.
Take the time to make a considered calculation of your fees.
Make sure you’ve gathered all the information you need, then tell your prospect you’ll call them back or send them a proposal by email.
In this conversation with my client, I’d already got all the details of the project and I knew how much to charge: $350 per post for 2 posts a week is $700 per week. But I could still have given myself time to compose a clear, confident proposal instead of blurting it out right away.
Even if you’ve got a good idea of the rate you want, remember that you need to manage your whole portfolio of current and upcoming projects, not just this one gig. Take into account your other commitments and your revenue from existing clients, then figure out
- how much time you can commit to this project, and
- how much you need to charge to make it worth doing.
Otherwise, you run the risk of burning out from too heavy a workload, or simply emptying your bank account while you work on a low-paying project.
Screw-up #2: Precise pricing
You might think your potential client wants to hear one precise figure from you when they ask your fees. Nope. It’s totally fine to quote a price range, or a minimum price, if you’re not ready to pin down your exact fee yet.
What I’ve done with many other clients is to say something like, “For projects like this I usually charge between $300 and $400 per post.”
And heck yes, I wish I’d said that to this client too, so that I could get a better handle on his expectations. What’s worse is that after quoting a precise fee, I fell victim to the worst negotiation mistake of all…
Screw-up #3: Fear of your own value
Afraid that your potential clients will back off, or hang up on you, when they hear your rates? You’re not the only one. A year before that conversation happened, I’d just raised my rates to reflect the value of my blogging services, and I was nervous.
Fear makes you second-guess yourself and undercut the rates you’ve set for your services. That time, I got so panicked that I haggled in my client’s favour!
Then, of course, dropping your prices too much makes you look and feel desperate. I’ve been there.
A few weeks later, though, I’d grown into my new pricing model and learned a priceless lesson: if you’re nervous about what your client thinks of your rates, you’re doing it wrong.
They’re your rates. You choose them and you charge them.
If a prospect decides they don’t want to pay your rates, they can either make a counter-offer or walk away. Your job is to let them walk if they want to, not to make the counter-offers for them like I did!
The secret is to stop stressing over any one prospect too much. There will always be other projects, so you don’t need to drop your prices to get this one. You’ll be amazed how much confidence you gain in negotiations by saying “Hmm, no thank you.”
Know your value and don’t be afraid to say it out loud. If you’re really scared, maybe you should do the woo-woo self-help thing and stand in front of a mirror telling yourself “I’m a 300-dollar-a-post blogger” until you can say it with confidence. (OK, so I’m not good with the woo-woo, but you get the idea, right?)
Another big mistake almost everyone makes when they’re nervous is the one where your mouth keeps moving and sounds are coming out, but the connection to your brain is patchy.
Screw-up #4: Doing all the Talking
Silence is not a bad thing in a negotiation. It means, “I’ve said my bit for now and I’m waiting for you to put together your response.” If I’d only stated my price to that client, and then shut the fudge up, I’d be $1200 richer right now.
Make friends with silence. Get comfy in it. Shutting up is a psychological tactic that’s used by everyone from therapists to politicians to performance artists, because it works so damn well.
They say nature abhors a vacuum, which might explain why we feel compelled to say something –anything– to fill a silence. I was silly enough to keep talking and haggle myself out of $1200.
This works whether you’re quoting a rate or waiting to hear one. My friend Carol Tice from the Make a Living Writing blog once got a $200-per-post gig raised to $300 simply by pointing out that it would be rush work… and then waiting on a silent phone line… until the client offered the extra $100 per post of their own accord.
Silence just works. Try it and see.
Your turn!
This week, there’s homework –and the chance to win a mystery prize worth $60 to help you negotiate your freelance blogging rates like a pro.
Use the comments box to share the worst mistake you’ve ever made in price negotiations with a potential client, and what lessons you learned from your experience. I’ll choose one winner on 2nd May. The comment with the greatest insight wins and as always, I’m handing out bonus points for shameless honesty, so let it fly!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.
Images: Images_of_Money, Mike Poresky
Hi Sophie
That’s definitely a Doh moment!
Silence is a powerful technique for putting someone on the spot – just as powerful as being questioned on the spot like you were.
Being prepared beforehand is also essential to get the best out of a deal. Quote your rate first before they have time to ask – and stick to it. If they are wary you could even offer a reduced rate for the first week as a bonus so they feel like they’re getting a good deal. If you are confident in your own abilities then you have nothing to worry about.
If they aren’t happy you can stress to them that the reason you charge this is because you are a professional and they will get ttheir money’s worth. They are free to go for a less experienced or more desperate writer but it’s their gamble to take. Stress your own achievements and testimonials.
Thanks for sharing with us. A real $1200 and hour blog post!
Jamie
Yeah, I’m a fan of putting some kind of price guideline out there early – I display minimum rates up front on my business website so that people coming from there know what to expect.
A reduced rate for the first week is an interesting idea – have you used that often? Does it help you get long-term gigs?
I’m gonna confess that I’m new to the game and that I haven’t actually approached clients yet. All theory no practice. But for established writers I think it’s a good marketing incentive to offer a bonus for new clients just to establish rapport and trust.
I’m just starting out so am writing up blog posts on my own site to improve and for samples. Taking Carol Tice’s advice to avoid the content mills and produce quality work on my own and maybe do some pro bono work and ask for testimonials.
I’ve seen the job boards and know many demand experience. I figure it’s best to begin by writing about what you know and what interests you to develop skills and show passion in your writing. Hopefully this will also build confidence and provide samples to clients. Add in some commenting and tweeting on blogs like yours could lead to relationships and guest posts in future:)
Do you think this is a good strategy for a newcomer?
Any tips for the inexperienced?
Yep: get experienced!
Seriously, there’s nothing you can do to learn what it’s really like to work with a client, except to work with a few until you get the idea. Pro bono work, guest blogging, taking a generalist gig from a job board, whatever gets you moving along to projects with other people.
Hey Sophie,
lovely post. for me, it was when i submitted a pitch at one of the popular job boards as a newbie and in less than 30minutes the client responded, i think the pitch i submitted actually compelled him to come for me and in the process of our chatting he wanted my rate and i just couldn’t come up with a fee because i lacked the awareness of what i’m expected to charge.
Although i was happy with what the client offered without realizing that i was already a victim of the so called content mill saga. when the reality was dawn on me i was already contracted by him and as a gentle man i didn’t want him to know that i felt bad about it.
although it was a short contract…….The lesson i learned here was that as a newbie freelance writer up for hire it’s necessary for you to read other successful blog like http://www.beafreelanceblogger.com to get a clear picture of how things are been done in the industry. by so doing you’re already building up necessary confidence needed to tackle any challenges to be encountered or negotiation to be made subsequently.
Yep, it’s always good to check out what kind of fees other bloggers at your competence level are charging for similar projects. There are quite a few places you can research freelance writing rates, but not many sources of *blogging* rate guidelines – maybe I should set something up to help bloggers figure out what to charge.
Hi Sophie:
That information would certainly make me happy and much more confident. I tend to talk too much anyway and would very likely be guilty of the same boo boo.
Donna
OK, then I’m definitely going to put some guidelines together! Coming soon… 🙂
It is a confidence builder, per #3 to say, “No thank you. I know how long it will take for me to do a quality job for you. I cannot do it for less than $_____.” Then tell them if they change their mind, you will be glad to help them in the future, and hang up. Sometimes, you reap the reward of a return call, where the client practically BEGS you to do their job, at your price! And, you do it. However, it may be even more personally rewarding when you have to turn the job down because, “Sorry, I’m too busy right now, but thanks for thinking of me, and please feel free to call me in the future, and by the way, my rates have gone up!” LOL!
Nice tip, Jamie. I feel a warm glow of satisfaction that when a prospect backs out, I’ve avoided working on an ill-suited project.
For clients who make low counter-offers, I’ll sometimes say “I can do it, but not until next month”. Often, they wind up agreeing to my original rate to get the job done a bit sooner!
I’m in the middle of this predicament right now. It is such a colossal failure in pricing, I will more than likely blog about it. Yep, that bad. I basically may end up doing some virtual assistant work for about $2.50-$5.00 per hour. Some takeaways:
1) Research the company’s financial state. If they are a well-established business, they can afford your rates.
2) Once you’ve made an offer, stick to it. (Even if it sucks.) The last thing you want to do is look wishy-washy or dishonest.
3) Do your best work. They may recognize this and consider a rate increase in the future. It’s the only motivation for when you mess up!
Great post, Sophie!
Wow, does that ring a bell. But, the truth is that if we are not braindead we do learn from our mistakes. Sometimes they are costly. However, being an honest and honorable human being whose word is good and who will stand by a handshake will get you farther than one higher paid job. Good for you for sharing the lessons learned.
Well, that sucks. But it does score you +10 bonus experience points in the mystery prize contest, so it’s worth more than $5 an hour. 😀
I can relate so much! I was once negotiating a rate with a client, and when I heard the disbelief in her voice after quoting a figure I immediately followed with “it’s negotiable!” Turns out she was surprised the rate was so LOW!
That’s a classic, Patrick. Yep, our own expectations aren’t always the same as the client’s!
I once had a client call me when I was napping. I wasn’t quite awake and quoted a price for comprehensive editing for the first 50 pages of her book. When I woke up and did the math I realized I had underquoted my usual rates by almost $150. And this was after I’d already given her a per-word quote. It messed up my pricing for the entire remainder of the project. I don’t feel too awful about it because it’s a fantastic project, and I’ve made a reasonable amount on the rest of the editing package, but I could have made more. I’m just crossing my fingers that the universe has more in store, since it’s one of those projects you get where you go… wow, how did I fall into this in the first place? But the moral is… don’t answer the phone until you wake the heck up. And definitely don’t try to do math right after a nap.
Solid practical lesson there, Katriena. +10 bonus points for honesty!
My very first potential client was a local web design firm. I cold-emailed them and got a phone call the same day. I hadn’t done any real freelancing before (aside from mills) and so I was wetting myself with excitement.
I’d done a ton of reading at that point, and I knew what my writing was worth, and I knew what I needed to charge to make a living (about $35/hour), so I thought I was prepared.
When he asked my rate, I thought I’d be savvy and evade, hoping to get him to spit out a number first. He told me that the other writers he was looking at were charging about $11 per 500-word article, which would take me about an hour to write. Now, I live in a rural area, but the cost of living isn’t that low.
I started sweating, knowing that I couldn’t make any money at that rate. So, I made my counter offer. “I’m sorry. I really can’t accept anything under $20.”
Well, needless to say, that wasn’t the only mistake I made in that failed attempt at landing a client. We actually talked more, and I wrote him a free sample article before I never heard from him again.
Lesson(s) learned: Don’t lowball your own rate because you’re nervous, and make sure the client understands that you need to be compensated for sample work before it can be published.
+10 bonus points for sharing your story to its grim finish, Robert. I hope your negotiations with other clients since then have brought you more success!
Once I allowed a site to “weasel” out of a small payment because “times are tight but we’d really like to publish your work.” I caved and let it go for non-payment (i.e. free.)
Totally undervaluing my work is probably the biggest issue. Yet when I’ve received “fair” payment, I certainly feel like it’s worth what I got. I’m still in day-job status, so I think it should be easier to hold out for true value status. Self-doubt is always lurking….
Hi Dean, you’re in an enviable position if you’ve got a steady day job that pays all the bills *and* leaves you time for freelance writing on the side. Make the most of it by sticking to your rates and never taking a low-paying gig unless it pays off in other ways!
Have you done content writing too
Yep! Blogging is a form of content writing, so I’ve done that for sure. 🙂
Wonderful post Sophie. Bravo! This is what I took from the post:
I’m huge believer that the same rules of business often apply to the rules of love and life. I’m in a place in life where I’m working on personal integrity, regarding my standards. I view your post as an admonishment about standards.
If a freelance writer sets a price based on their financial needs, they shouldn’t be willing to lower their price. They should stand up for themselves and their financial standards. In our personal lives, if we don’t stick to our standards, can we expect our potential friends or romantic partners to adhere to our standards or respect us? The same is true for business, and vice versa again.
On this note Sophie, I’d love to be able to refer to this blog post on my blog. Don’t worry, I’m not a spammer. I subscribe to your blog and I’m a current student of Linda F. I’d love to write a post about standard and your post ties in nicely with what I want to write about.
May I have permission to link this post to my blog (Which you can find when you click on my name)? In any case, I’m so inspired!
Of course! Link away, and thanks for the comment. 🙂
I made a serious bonehead move a few weeks ago. In my defense, it was my very first in-person client meeting. I have a fair bit of social anxiety, so I usually stick to email — but this client insisted on a face-to-face meeting. So I was a bundle of nerves by the time I got there.
I pumped myself up in the car on the way over, quoting rates for the types of work he would likely have for me. Problem? I was meeting with a web design firm, and he insisted I give an hourly rate, not a per-project rate, because that’s how they come up with a quote for their clients. I stumbled, because I was completely unprepared to give an hourly rate (having been well-trained by Carol Tice ;). He made it clear that, in his opinion, I was extremely unprofessional for not quoting by the hour in the first place (he said at one point, “At least you didn’t quote by the word like the woman who was in here yesterday.”)
Anyway, by this point I was really flustered, so I blurted out a rate that was way lower than I would have given if I’d been able to think about it. He did say he was impressed with my clips…but that was six weeks ago and he hasn’t responded to my follow-ups, so I’m not holding my breath at this point.
Lesson learned? Get some idea how the potential client is used to paying freelancers before meeting with them — and be prepared for anything!
+10 honesty points for Angie! Yeah, it’s an awful feeling when you realise you’re unprepared for the question your prospect just asked. And in-person questions are harder to handle if you’re not used to meeting face to face.
Working with an ad agency, web designer or printer can be very different to the experience you have with publisher clients – maybe that would be a good topic for a future post?
I think that would be a great topic for a future post!
(Whew! Took awhile, but finally got that comment through. 😉
I’ve made dumb mistakes before, but this one was the worst.
I found a makeup company who had a blog advertised on their main page, but that was sadly lacking in proper updates. I have used this company’s products before, so I used that to get an in with a beauty and customer service rep there.
After some emails back and forth, they asked me what my rate was, and I told them straight out $400 a month for 4 blog posts. Then I told them that if the pricing was an issue for them, I might be able to negotiate. This was because I realized that if they had no marketing director they probably didn’t have enough money to pay me my rates. Mistake #1.
The lady seemed very excited and told me she’d bring the information to her boss (the company owner). Looking back, why didn’t I ask for her information instead of working through a liaison?
Anyway, I then go and do something even more stupid. I email her back, asking for the company’s annual revenue and marketing budget, one of which I could have easily googled myself. Mistake #2.
Continue my downward spiral. I then research the company on my own, email her back with my findings, and say I look forward to hearing from her and negotiating prices. Mistake #3.
That was what probably did it. I heard back from the beauty rep, saying her boss wanted to take a different direction with marketing and social media.
Yeah, I wasn’t surprised at all.
Yeah, some clients can feel weird if they realise you research their financials – almost as if you were stalking them personally or something! But hey, freelance is another word for mercenary and that’s what we do. Next time, just keep your findings to yourself and let them think you’re getting in touch because you love them so much. 😀
Also, score +10 bonus points!
Sophie,
Invaluable!
“Silence just works. Try it and see.” got me!
In my last negotiation, I just experienced breaking the ice because I wanted to make sure I’ll get the job. Perhaps, I felt desperate that time; when I did not get a response right away, I lowered my rate just like you.
Silence in negotiation–I’m not aware this strategy works. I will surely apply it in my next negotiation.
Thanks Sophie. This one will go down to my arsenal of negotiation tactics.
Talk soon!
Anthony
Hey Anthony! Yeah, silence is powerful – far better to have it on your side than to face it unprepared.
My very first client, a well-established business, sent me an offer on my very first pitch. Here I am, approached like one of the big name experts, and FEAR of not being able to deliver had me bowing down at their feet. No. I didn’t negotiate. I didn’t even attempt to have the contract adjusted in my favor. Nope. Just feet kissing the whole time.
Only after researching for the project (which cost hours), interviewing an expert (which cost hours), writing the 1500 words (which took hours) and delivering the final project, did it occur to me that I could have negotiated for more money.
If I would have took a moment before accepting (before even pitching), to simply calculate the time it would’ve cost me to properly complete the project I could have negotiated for more money with the proof to back up why I thought I was entitled to more.
And a huge realization occurred because of this. They approached me as an expert because I AM an expert. Owning that truth makes it much easier to know my value and to negotiate.
+10 bonus points!
On the spot, most of us will get stuff wrong. Humans aren’t great at thinking things through that fast, and we miss details if we’re rushed. You’re so right – people will come to you as the expert, expecting you to know exactly what to charge and why. And as a professional, it’s your duty to fully absorb and consider the project description — even if that means telling them you’ll send your proposal the next day.
Great post, Sophie. Thanks for sharing!
You are 100% correct. The silent treatment works wonders.
Silence isn’t just golden. If used correctly, it can prove to be
very profitable.
The opposite is also true. As you learned from the experience
you shared above, the first person to speak loses. In your case,
this amounted to $1,200+. Experience really is a cruel teacher.
You always get the punishment before you learn the lesson. 🙁
Said differently, anxiety is the first cousin of desperation.
So never give away your personal power to someone you
barely know over money. It’s just not worth it.
I’m sure you are aware that 90-95% of human communication
is non-verbal. When discussing compensation with clients,
the longer you remain silent, the more you demonstrate that
you are in complete control of your business. Silence is the
unspoken messenger that tells your clients you would love to
work with them – but you don’t need to. The world won’t come
to an end if they don’t hire you. If they say yes, you proceed.
If they say no, you move on to the next prospect. Life is too
short to worry about things you can’t control…
Thanks again for the killer post, Sophie. Epic content as always.
Enjoy your day!
Thanks Michael! I tend to think the first person to speak won’t necessarily lose – it depends what you say. 😀
What I should’ve said to this client was “It’s $400 per week.” And that’s all. I would’ve had the rate I wanted, and they would’ve been happy with it too.
You mentioned non-verbal communication, which is a topic that fascinates me. So much of our comms are online now, I often wonder if that’s a benefit or a hindrance. What do you think, can we use silence in email or IM correspondence?
Super feedback, Sophie. Thanks for following up!
Can we use silence in email or IM correspondence?
YES!!!!
Regarding email, don’t be in a hurry to respond immediately
to clients who you’ve been dying to land. There’s nothing wrong
with waiting 48-72 hours before following up with them. Respond too soon, and you run the risk of being seen as overly eager and underemployed. Respond too late, and you might be perceived as rude and disinterested. 2 to 3 days is long enough to let an offer percolate in your mind, but short enough to be considered a prompt and professional reply. Most of all, it lets clients know that you value your time. And if they wish to acquire your services,
they must do the same.
If you’d like some “Silence Insurance”, just tell your clients that you’ll send them a comprehensive quote in 2-3 business days.
The reason for your silence will be known right up front, and they will respect you for giving their business the ample time and consideration it deserves.
As the name implies, IM is instant communication. So when you choose to remain silent for a few seconds, it feels like hours to the other person. The purpose of silence is to make a point. Once the other party “gets the message”, you can continue the conversation.
IM is a bit more tricky, so you might want to try this with friends or family first before unleashing deafening silence on a potential client. They may misunderstand and cut you loose prematurely.
Thanks for the opportunity to let me follow up with you, Sophie. Enjoy your weekend! 🙂
As writers trying to make a living, we are worried a client will walk away if we don’t “give them a deal.” But oftentimes, we forget how desperate they are for our expertise. Time is money, and they don’t have the time to vet more writers for something they need done right now. They don’t even know where to start looking.
I try to remember that when it comes down to it. If they needed me yesterday, and I politely decline their lowball offer, there’s a good chance they’ll match my rate so I can get to work on their project.
Great tips in here. I especially love the silent treatment tip, and the short-notice tip. I wish I had read this 2 days sooner, because I just accepted a new asap project, and I probably could have gotten more if I had played that card. Oh well, you live and you learn!
Yes! Betsy, you nailed it. Clients can be nervous or desperate in negotiations too, because they have a lot more than your fee riding on the outcome of the project. We writers ought to feel sorry for them. [But not sorry enough to give them a discount!]
My worst price negotiation wasn’t on a writing deal. Thankfully, I learned that lesson fairly early on. When I was around 19, I had a small travel trailer that I wanted to sell. This guy called and asked to come look at it. I agreed and he said he wanted it. He pulled out a bunch of cash, rolled up and wrapped with a rubber band. He says “I will give you this for it.” Being a young kid, I saw that $50 bill on the outside and thought the rest were fifties too so I jumped at it. After he hitched it up and left, I took the money out to count it. I had just sold my travel trailer for $100 because the rest of the roll was $1 bills. Lesson Learned The Hard Way.
Ouch, Larry! That’s a lesson you won’t forget.
So true. I’ve been in this situation before. But after reading lots of articles about raising rates, I joined the bandwagon for not writing-for-peanuts. It works! Writers like you, Sophie really completes my day.
Thanks, Jeulyanna, and good for you.
Hi Sophie I haven’t got a website as yet but working on it. A few months ago I did a job for some one it was a rush job with lots of research to do, so I did the work and sent it to him I stayed up all night doing these articles for him he even sent One or Two of them back for little rewrites, I did them for him and sent them off to him guess what he didn’t even pay me and he was only offering $12 for 5×500 word articles. he contacted me on skype but after I did the articles and sent them to him I have never heard from him again lesson learned. For the last few months I have not offered to work for any one. Thanks for your tips Sophie they come in very handy.
Thanks
Veronica.
Veronica, that’s an awful experience to go through. 🙁 A fee that low isn’t worth working for – you’ll do your business more good by spending that time on marketing and professional development than on a cheap client.
Coming fresh off the content mills a few years ago, I was ecstatic when a client offered me 5 cents/word for business content (after first balking at my exorbitant rate). I would happily write really challenging content for him- a 1,000 article took me a good day and a half- for about $50/paper. In all the three years that I wrote content for him, it never once occurred to me to ask for a raise. Finally, after writing non-stop for his blog and some of his clients’ websites to boot, I started burning out and writing less and less as a result. In the end, I just stopped writing for and contacting him- though I’m sure even today he’d be happy to see me come back for more work. I don’t blame him for my low wages- I should’ve stood up for myself after the first few months went by and raised my rates. Even today, I cringe when I think of how much money I left on the table- that content could easily have fetched 25 cents/word minimum with any other client. Live and learn, I guess.
Expectation is everything in negotiation, and that can be a big obstacle for writers coming out of the content mills. If you expect a few dollars per page, and your greatest ambition is to get paid 10 cents a word, that sets you up for failure because it just doesn’t add up to a living.
On the bright side, you know better now. And your honesty wins you +10 bonus points!
The only pricing structure that I knew about was the content mills and the most that I had been paid was $10 per page. I knew that I wanted to earn more but wasn’t sure how to go about it.
When I went to a networking meeting, someone asked me directly how much an article would be. I ummed and ahhed and just blurted out £20. I got that look of stunned amazment, which I had interpreted as the fee being too high. He was actually surprised at this great offer for such an indepth article and was excited to get a sample of my work. I was too embarrassed to get back in touch, knowing that I had undervalued myself. 🙁
Eek! Live networking is one of those occasions you definitely need to prepare for – figuring out what price guidelines you’ll give to interested networkers is part of that. As a mill escapee, you lucked out because your expectations were lower than those of the people you talked with. Never mind; you’re going to earn a lot more now that you’ve escaped and started networking. 🙂 And you get +10 bonus points!
Hi Sophie,
A great article. I made some low rate – high quality articles for a client recently, that should have made me way more money. But when you start out, do you think you have to price low to get a reputation and references?
Not necessarily… the trouble with pricing low is that you’ll get a reputation *for pricing low*, and references or clips from low-budget gigs aren’t as impressive. You’d be better off working on a respected blog for free than on an unknown blog for a low rate.
If your work is high quality, your clients should be, too. Otherwise you’re missing out on a lot of money!
Sometimes Silence is your Best Friend 🙂
Biggest screw-up? How about two?
The first was agreeing to cut my hourly rate by 25% to seal the deal with a client who said they’d be sending me plenty of work. Unfortunately their definition of “plenty” is a lot different to mine, and I’m losing out.
The second (and by far the worst) screw-up was agreeing to unlimited edits for a flat fee. Kids, don’t *ever* agree to this, no matter how much they’re paying you. If you’re not careful the job quickly becomes a black hole that sucks up all your time and energy, and quite a large chunk of your soul.
Yep, flat fees are a killer if you underestimate the time it’ll take. To me, revisions are never truly unlimited – the client can’t come back to me in 20 years’ time to demand that I rewrite an old blog post! I often set a 7 or 14 day window for clients to request amendments.
Great post Sophie!
I screwed up royally on one of my first important assignments.
At the beginning of my writing career, I would write about any topic available in order to get those elusive portfolio clips. The pay was good but the work was a monotonous soul-killer — how many ways can one possibly spin the merits of mini video recorders? Argh.
Anyway, I was finishing up my last batch of articles on yoga logo types (true story) when I firmly resolved that I would not take on anymore boring writing assignments.
The very next day, I diligently contacted perspective clients in the topics that interested me most: travel, fashion and art.
To my delight, I received several responses right away and although the pay was far less than I had been making for the shoot-me-now copy-writing, I was on my way!
Or so I thought.
Out of the blue, one of my old clients offered me a “simple”, well-paying editing job. It was for 100 real estate insurance articles. The same day, an editor for a well-known online travel publication commissioned a feature that paid modestly, but gave me a byline and a direct link to 2 million readers!
Editing was not going to take as long as writing –regardless of the topic — I reasoned, and greedily accepted both. This, despite tight deadlines and the fact that I hadn’t even looked at the unedited articles or asked for further instructions.
You can probably guess what happened next. The insurance articles were so bad that I spent sleepless nights re-writing and researching them from scratch and was so stressed to meet the deadlines that I missed some colossal errors on the travel article. Needless to say, they killed the piece and never contacted me again.
Lesson? Always know what the job entails before accepting.
Was it in your editing contract rewrite and edit contact?
Ha! I’ve edited insurance blogs before, and was stunned by how badly written and unresearched some submissions were. At least we had great writers as well as less-great ones. 😀
It’s a real shame your travel piece wasn’t ready for publication. Have you pitched other travel blogs since then?
I tend to under value my work by over estimating myself. I always think I can get a project done quicker than I actually can. So I quote too low, thinking ‘That will only take me a couple of hours’. I also have that employee-at-an-interview attitude of telling the client I can do anything they want. Keyword research? Sure. Source some images? Of course. Suddenly I’m doing a huge amount of extra work for little or no extra pay.
You need to switch on your mental calculator, Karen, and keep it running while you negotiate. First, look at your recent projects and calculate how many words you write per hour on average. Remember to include research and editing in the time for your calculations. Base all your quotes on this words-per-hour figure to start with, and add more money if you think it’s a more labour-intensive gig than average.
Then, add up all those little extras. Source some images? Sure, at $10 each. Keyword research? $30 is a steal considering they’re using you in place of a highly-paid SEO agency. Want it by Wednesday? Price just went up. Suddenly you’re earning a huge amount of money!
My mistake has been quoting “friends & family” pricing at 50% of my normal minimum rate. Now I have them as frequent customers at half the normal rate and little work at my regular rate.
I have one client who pays me my regular minimum rate for 80% of his work and twice that for only one client he knows can afford my regular rate. Why do I compromise at 50% so often? I’m too nice and my mistake is being enticed by half the money now instead of holding out for twice the rate later. I should try the Ron Popeil method, “Set it and forget it!” – ha ha.
I also made the mistake making my main client one I found through working for a content mill where my pay was peanuts. I felt bad charging higher rates when I knew he had paid far less for me through a service. I get more flexibility/control with that client on my own, but am not making the money I should be making.
Another mistake is looking at hourly wages in the area and thinking that I am on track for that and that’s okay. If I am working for a client online from New York, it is not unrealistic that I should make New York wages, is it? Hard to reconcile in my brain, however. I could kick myself for making an average paycheck of the same amount I get for wiping old ladies’ butts doing home health care. Stupid! Writing is a skill not everyone possesses! I am worth more than I ask.
Cindy, you already know the answer here: charge more! Tell your friends and family that the butt-wiping pay rate has gone up to at least 75% of your standard rate. Some of them will stop using you, and that’ll free up your time to work for bigger-budget clients.
+10 bonus points for honesty and insight. Yay you!
Confidence. Decisiveness. Silence.
That’s what I’m getting here, and I love it, Sophie. I really do. I’m super-passionate about people ryzing up, in self-worth & price.
I’ve done all the ‘mistakes’ above, written about them & let them go, and I regularly charg a premium in whatever industry I’m in.
I’ve done that for along time and it’s natural to me. I find after awhile it becomes ‘accepted’ and there’s zero awkwardness.
It’s kinda like how no one really ‘balks’ at the price of a Ferrari — the world knows it’s a luxury, high-end brand and expects to pay for it.
Nicely put, J. And when you’re a Ferrari, you don’t spare a thought for what low-budget cars cost because they aren’t your competition. 😉
My biggest mistake was going into negotiation with a client without first researching the going rates for the service he sought. This was especially stupid of me given that the client wanted me for my unique expertise, so I was in a strong bargaining position and didn’t even know it, and this was for an hourly rate. Not knowing what others in my situation charged, I sort of let the client lead the discussion, ending up signing a contract for $150 per hour and learning later that I could have gotten $200. The $50 difference might not sound like much until you realize that it’s a two-year contract and if I do half time (4 hours per day on average at 5 days per week) I’m making $50,000 less each year, or $100,000 over the life of the contract.
An expensive lesson, but I now know that I will never go into another negotiation before doing my homework.
That’s a valuable lesson, Charles. It’s always a good idea to build a review and renegotiation into your contract so that you have a pre-planned date to correct any over- or underestimations. +10 bonus points!
This post was so timely for me!
I haven’t done much negotiating yet — not enough to have any big screw ups. I have given some really low rates but those were first-time, get-a-portfolio type deals so not such a big problem. (I do have one of those clients who keeps calling me to fix little things…ugh, shoulda written a clearer contract! But she’s my friend so I keep doing it.) But I had my first real negotiation with a client a few days ago, and I did GOOD. The prospect kept pushing me to name an hourly rate (she needs to be able to pay by hours for contractors on her end), and I hedged and said I usually charge by project, but she kept asking. Finally I told her a broad range that’s pretty high (but totally realistic based on what I’ve made for similar clients and what I need to make for this kind of project). She was shocked. She told me they’re hiring a project manager on staff at a lower rate than that. I laughed and said you could get me on staff for a lot cheaper than that too! Obviously as a freelancer, I need to charge more than I would as a staff person. Freelancer have to build a lot of non-billable hours into the hourly rate. I told her that if we did a retainer situation, that makes it negotiable. But she’s going to talk to her people and see what she can do — starting from the first rate I named. Don’t know what will happen with it, but I was really proud of myself for naming the rate I actually want!
YES! Lisa, you rock. +10 bonus points!
Being able to explain why you charge more than equivalent in-house staff is essential if you ever deal with clients who haven’t worked with a freelance before.
P.S. Any negotiation in which you can laugh is a good one. 😀 When you’re relaxed like that, clients are more likely to agree with you.
As usual, a great post. I can’t count the number of times I have made silly mistakes – the sports world calls them ‘unforced errors.’ Oh yeah, that’s me!
But I always learn from my mistakes, and rarely (I wish I could say never!) make the same one twice.
I think it boils down to recognizing our worth. I am a freelance editor. I am very good at my job, and am fortunate to work in a field that I love. I didn’t get good overnight, however. My job is difficult, and takes a considerable amount of knowledge. Why shouldn’t I get paid for that? I only recently started doing this on a full-time basis and was scared to charge what I know my work is worth. Fortunately, I recently realized that I am doing myself a disservice. Your post was a great reminder of this, and I am now in the process of changing my rate structure to reflect the value I bring to a project. I would rather not work for someone who doesn’t recognize that you don’t get quality work for free.
I am not yet charging for writing, mostly because I just enjoy doing it and don’t care if I make money for it. But, if I decide to do so, I will keep your post in mind and keep my doubts at bay.
Good for you, Rhonda! Expert work deserves expert pay.
Hi Sophie,
Probably my worst screw-up was a recent job I accepted for a travel blog about European destinations. well over 50,000 words total, which I “accurately” calculated my time for. The problem was auto spell check questioned every other word / name in foreign spellings and just slowed me down. The job seemed to take forever, and I now realize it probably wasn’t worth the monies. To make matters worse, the client liked my work so much he has offered me another country to write about!? Will I make the right decision this time ? ;-))
Love your posts btw
Gary
Hey Gary, if you’re offered repeat work for a low-paying client the best thing to do is say “Great! After our last project, I’ve updated my proposal to account for [whatever it is], so the fee is now [this amount].”
Then sit silent and let them decide to either pay a more appropriate rate for you, or find a more appropriate writer for them.
I love this post and have had two pretty big screw ups since I started freelancing.
1. My very first client hired me to write copy for her website. I was able to get her to throw out a number first (win!) and she asked me what I was able to do for $1,000. Having no idea what I should have been charging for web copy and not wanting her to think I was taking advantage of her, I replied, “Oh you don’t need to pay me that much. I can do the whole thing for $600.” WHAT?? So yes, I left $400 on the table.
2. I was connected with a client a few months ago who runs a digital marketing agency. He liked me and wanted to start feeding me work, so he asked if I could start working on blog posts for two clients. He asked me if $20 per post would work for me, and I agreed. I’m now pulling my hair out because the time it takes to write one post means I’m almost paying HIM for the work. I’m considering asking for more money but I’m not sure how to go about it.
Score +10 bonus points for shameless honesty, Amy! Your screw-up #1 was pretty similar to mine; I still can’t believe I negotiated my rate down instead of up.
As for your marketer client, he’s getting a lot more than $20 for your articles. Time to research what he charges *his* clients and adjust your rate accordingly…
Hi
I used to drop prices in quantum of 100-200-300. I also priced them in round figures. Over a period of time, I learnt to give my prices as 157,268 etc. Why round figures? Why not this? Actually when I give out such precise odd prices people think that the prices must be cost-based than some ad-hoc fancy figures. Also when I negotiate or reduce, I do so in 5-10-15 and not in 50-100-200. This also gives a good impression that you know your costing well. People dont discuss these things but get the point well and such pricing works just great. Try it next time. Over a period of time, see the trust you build.
I am giving a big secret out here openly.
regards
Varadh
Interesting approach, Varadh. Thanks for sharing your methods!
Recently I quit my “real” job to have more time to write. I set up a blogsite and edited a wonderful first novel written by a fellow former college newspaper staffer. I have always enjoyed her writing and would not think of asking for pay to do this for her. My initial response was to tread lightly and as I got into it I became much more aggressive with my editing. To my surprise, she loved it! She took my work to her writing group and shared with them what I had done, sending me a message that they all loved it and the style in which I had done so. What a surprise. Of course, in the middle of all that I made the comment, “I’m not a professional.” Her reply was, “Yes, you are. You just don’t know it yet!”
What is interesting is that I took a contracting job in my “real” profession and was negotiating the price for that. The contract arrived and I was dumbfounded at the amount they offered. I called and said this was not acceptable and that I needed more. We ultimately arrived at a fair price, but in the midst of it, I was contacted by other professionals in my field interested in doing the same thing and letting me know how much they would want. That is when I learned another important lesson: The bar I may place for my services today will have an affect on all those who come after me. I do not want to devalue my colleagues and the profession as a whole.
Remember, if you know your time is worth a certain amount, ask for it. And your experience is worth more. There is a reason companies pay more to people who have more experience. They are buying THAT. And they recognize it. One thing I have learned is that even if they were willing to pay you more, they will pay you less if you settle for it. They will also tell you if there is no more.
Be willing and ABLE to walk away. They may or may not come after you. I have walked away several times and they met my demands. One person told me, the difference is that you were not shopping, you were buying. I knew what I wanted and what I would accept. I stood by my quote and got what I asked.
And, you can ALWAYS renegotiate. If it is something you really want to do and would do it for little or nothing anyway, tell them, “Let’s try this out at this rate (enter what you want here) for (this amount of time, this number of posts, etc.) and we can discuss future reimbursement then. It is up to YOU to remember when it is time to renegotiate that lower bid. And don’t make it such a long term deal at the reduced rate that you end up doing the entire job at that price (unless one job is the agreed upon trial). Leave them wanting more.
Absolutely – renegotiating keeps your rates in line with your evolving services and markets.
I’ve been a blogger for 2 years (just celebrated my 2 year blog-versary this past week) and have recently began getting e-mails from companies asking about guest blog posts. This post really helped me out.
Thanks a bunch!
You’re welcome, Kristin!
Hi Sophie!
I really enjoy this post–you sound just like me.
I got a call one time from a school district that wanted their handbook edited in less than a week, and I had no idea what to say to the lady. UGH! I was totally unprepared, driving when I answered the phone with my baby in the car, and then was almost rude to her at first because I thought it was a telemarketer. I tried to do damage control by finding her e-mail address on the school’s website, but I think it was a little too late. . .I decided that if I don’t know the number, I should not answer it. Then the client can leave a message, so I can prepare a pitch and sound more professional. (Not to mention that I SHOULDN’T ANSWER THE PHONE WHEN DRIVING ANYWAY!)
That’s a good lesson, Margo – only answer the phone for an unknown number if you’re ready to talk to a new prospect at that moment. +10 bonus points!
The biggest screw-up I ever made in negotiating was to not negotiate. Once a friend who was working on a research project suggested me when more people were needed to make the publication date. I was offered $50 per post. Since each required a fair amount of research (and I knew they would when offered the job) I now know I should have at least checked first to see if there was any flexibility in payment per project.
Failure to negotiate costs freelancers a vast fortune each year. It’s scary how much a simple lack of confidence can affect your bank balance.
Honestly, I’ve made more more mistakes in my freelance editing endeavors than I have in my blogging endeavors (because I edit more than I blog).
But…the #1 biggest error I’ve made is to waste so much of my time blogging for content mills. They pay peanuts, and I don’t even get to claim credit for most of what I write for them. It’s SO frustrating, but it’s a “steady income stream”, so what’s a “starving mama/writer” to do??? I’ve recently taken a break from that and have been blessed with some better editing jobs…So I’m not as stressed about not having that consistent (albeit low) paycheck coming in.
My #2 biggest error in price negotiation was to take on jobs and complete them before getting paid in full (and I ALMOST ALWAYS undercut myself because I’m so afraid of losing a job). Feeling this way (and acting on the fear) opens you up to all sorts of bad things.
I understand that people need to see a sample of what you can do, but that’s why we have websites, right? You want to see what my writing style is like (and whether I CAN actually do what I’m telling you I can do?), check out my website. Simple as that. I’ve been burned too often by clients who’ve failed to pay me what I was owed (even WITH a contract) to want to ever do ANY work without being paid upfront (except under VERY SPECIAL circumstances), and this really does limit my client base.
But I find that that’s really a good thing for me. These people who accept my terms know that I’m serious about being paid, and they generally (correctly) assume that I’m serious about doing the work (and doing it well). 🙂
Yeah, payment in advance is always the best for freelancers. It puts some clients off, but others are happy with the idea – different expectations. I often ask for a deposit to be held in escrow until the job’s completed. That way, there are fewer trust issues with new clients.
I’m a complete newbie. I haven’t had a client yet, but your advice will save me some screw ups along the way. I do have a story from my first ever negotiation for salary. I had gotten an interview for a job because a friend of mine worked in the office. She told me what the owner was paying everyone – $12/hour – but asked that I not let on that I knew. I thought to myself, “No problem. I can play this cool and get this guy begging me to work for that amount.” However, this was before I knew my worth and had any idea how to negotiate. When he asked me what he should pay me, I smoothly said, “I’m not positive what you are paying, but I would at least pay myself $10 an hour.” I thought I had sufficiently emphasized the words “at least” until he quickly said, “I agree. I’ll pay you $10 per hour.” I was shocked and didn’t even counter or try to back my way out of the deal. As it turned out, he even moved me from sales to the warehouse. So there I was working a manual labor job after interviewing for a sales job making over $4000 less a year simply because I didn’t know my worth and thought I could negotiate up.
However, I applied that mistake recently. I had an opportunity last year to take the largest store in my district but the pay offer was not commiserate with the massive task of fixing a large broken store. I walked away from negotiations and soon found another company willing to pay me a lot more for a smaller store. So lesson learned.
Thanks for your blog. I can’t wait to begin applying the lessons I’ve learned in my short time on here.
Hey Jason, that’s a great story! It’s amazing how many ways there are to screw up in negotiations, and they all come down to one thing: practice. +10 bonus points for you. 🙂
I’ve been there. My biggest problem is that I know there are other writers out there who are better than I am so I end up under rating myself because I want to make sure I get the gig. It’s nice to know that I’m not alone, but I still need to have more confidence about my own abilities. Any advice on how to do that?
Instead of thinking about writers better than you, Christine, find some writers who are at roughly the same level as you. Check them out online, maybe even email them, and find out what they charge. There’s no reason for you to charge less than your peers!
Sophie,
I tried to up my price, but was immediately shot down. They were very complimentary of my skills, but said the budget only was for so much and basicly take it or leave it. I took it because I’m poor and hope it will lead to more work down the line. Did I go wrong?
Tammy
There’s no wrong or right in that situation, Tammy. When you need money, you take work. Just be sure to keep on marketing for higher-paying gigs, and replace your low-budget client with more lucrative work as soon as possible.
Fear…sheer fear of rejection, of encountering sarcasm, ridicule, raised eyebrows…you name it.
In the famous words of Adam and the Ants, “Ridicule is nothing to be scared of.” Know why? Because ridicule is a sign of fear, too. Any client that sneers and snarks at your rate is scared; they’ve just realised you’re out of their price range, and they’re defensive about their low budget.
The silence factor is an important element. I was lucky early enough to hear my voice change during the pitch to that grating, tense growl a lioness makes before she retreats. That’s when I developed a rate card.
Yep, a concrete pricing model makes negotiation a lot easier – you always have a familiar starting point to work up from, and it saves thinking time too.
Great tips Sophie! I like to give them different options. For example, I’ll give them a basic package, a middle package, and a high package, each priced accordingly. This way, you can make it clear what services you will provide and for how much. They can also see what their options are for the future, if they do decide to upgrade their package for more services at a higher rate.
Nice one, Alex, I like it!
Hello Sophie,
Great post that reflects the mistakes I made when I began freelancing. I thought that my clients would hire cheaper cheaper writers due to my high rates but I stood firm with my rates. I recall an instance where a client told me that things were not going well with his site and so he offered me half the rate. I was accepted the offer and it turned out that most of the projects that came in after that were more of the rate. I had to let him know that I was not going to do anymore articles at that rate. As usual, the client stopped sending me projects but as time went by he contacted me again for more work at my rate which I had hiked again. To date, am a full time writer for him for his numerous sites.
As a freelancer, it is best not to be afraid of stating your price. Most of the people who are looking for freelance writers know how expensive it is to hire a writer hence you should take this advantage. I always stand firm with what I charge. It is about take it or take it if you need my services. It has worked.
Thanks Sophie for the numerous freelancing tips each day. They are an insight.
My biggest mistake in price negotiation was accepting an offer of an equity stake in the start-up business, rather than sticking to cash.
I ended up spending 2-3 days a week for several months on the project, all of which was ultimately at zero remuneration as the project didn’t progress. I would have been financial better off if in the initial meeting I had just said “I’ll do one week’s work for free”.
I took a risk and it didn’t pay off, but in hindsight it was not a good risk at all – the equity stake was minimal compared to the opportunity cost.
I look at these kinds of occurrences as educational experiences, just as time consuming and costly as the formal education system 🙂
AND THE WINNER IS… Cindy Brown! I’m emailing you more about your prize: a one-to-one live negotiation coaching session. 🙂
I could not be more excited! This is just what I need right now. Thank you so much!
Just came across your blog and finding it intriguing and extremely helpful! Thanks a ton for sharing experiences like this as I’m new to the freelancing community and slowly making my way through! 🙂
So glad you like it! It’s great to have you here. 🙂
Great post and very insightful! I have definitely learned a lot of this the hard way but it never hurts to have a refresher. I’m doubling my article rate as of today. 🙂 If I can write for Coldwell Banker, and other top tier employers, I’m worth it!
Freelance writing is alllllllllllllllll about learning lessons the hard way. haha. 😉
Well, okay…not ideally. But we all do anyway.
And definitely match your rates to your worth. Keep saying “I’m worth it!” More importantly: BELIEVE IT.
I actually wrote an article last week about writers & confidence if you ever need another refresher: http://beafreelanceblogger.com/impostor-syndrome
Thank you for the wonderful post! I’m a personal style blogger and just got my first email from a potential client asking me to do a guest post. I came here looking for answers as they want me to name a price and I have no clue as to what I am to charge! I definitely got some great tips and insights.
Thank you!
xoxo,
Alyssa
Alyssa, I’ve got the perfect thing for you: The Be a Freelance Blogger Rate Guide. It’s a report I created showing you what other freelance bloggers are charging and giving my own guideline rates. Help yourself to a free copy. 🙂
Hello, all!
Not long ago, a gentleman contacted me through Facebook. He had read my profile and decided to contact me with a project he was doing and need help. As it turned out, this project was a full-length book and consisted of ongoing research. Ar first I was excited because this meant a lucrative payback. I told him I would take $500 minimum for the job and likely require more because research was involved. This project would take several weeks, even months, to complete. We discussed the topic, which was intriguing, and I complimented him for the passion that fueled him. When we finished, he dropped the bomb on me: he had absolutely no money.
I sighed in disappointment as I read the words on my screen. Although my hopes were dashed, I told him the job was too extensive to do it for free. He pleaded, but I stuck to my guns.
What irked me more than losing the deal was the fact that this man expected me to put everything aside for a stranger, and that’s exactly what I would have had to do in the long run. How dare he do that. There was no room for negotiation because he had not money with which to bargain. I understand what it is like to financial struggle, and I sympathize, but his taking the time to discuss the project with me inferred that he thought I would be a pushover.
I am a professional and need to survive. I cannot do that by taking on free work, especially work that would drive away paying work. In the end, I don’t regret backing away. I had no other choice. I wasn’t going to let anyone take advantage of me.
When I seek others for services, and I don’t have the money, I offer barter-exchange instead. That solution is beneficial because we both get something out of it. I NEVER expect any of them to do free work, even if they are close friends.
Yes, I know this job pertained to a book and not blogging, but the principle is the same.
Thanks for sharing, Sophie. The post and your tips are inspirational. I look forward to reading more.
Hi Sophie,
I thought I’d leave another comment on content mills. They swarm the Web like an expanding colony, and their client base has grown exponentially. There is a reason for this: writer-seekers can get articles and blog posts written as low as anything up to $10.00. I despondently conducted my rounds at these places a long time ago, and I even visited a few bidding sites where freelance writers pitched rates as low as $2.00 per article/post or .01c per word.
At one mill, my personal rate was .04c per word, which came out to an overall cost 4x the word count of the piece in question. A couple of prospects attempted to haggle with me to reduce my rate to accommodate them, and one even justified his request with the rationale: “Why should I come to you if I can go somewhere else and get it cheaper?”
These rates are deplorable, I know, but content mills facilitate them to draw in the clientele because they believe businesses want to spend as little as possible.
Not long ago, I read an article that contained a passage claiming that prospective clients generally perceive higher rates to equate to better quality. If this is true, why do so many of them go through the content mills?
I once witnessed something interesting happen while watching one job auction. A guy searching for a content writer grumbled over his unfavorable experiences with poor-quality writers who had done work for him at $2.00 a job. He then went on to state that a $10-bid for an article was “outrageous!” A friend who was bidding at the time told him, “You get what you pay for. You want high-quality work, you have to pay what it’s worth.’ She didn’t get the job, but I enjoyed the exchange just the same.
That was a long time ago, and we both have moved on. The process can be a long one, but if a writer perseveres, s/he can and will eventually gain a respectable pay.
I wanted to ask you where you stand with content mills. Have you ever had to deal with clients like this before?
Again, great tips above. More writers need to have confidence and know their self-worth. They shouldn’t let clients take advantage of them, and many clients will if they can.
Have pride, stand firm and write well!
Take care.
I never encountered content mills until I became a blog editor and one of my clients asked me to use them to buy extra content. The range of writing quality you get as a content mill *customer* is unbelievable; some mill writers are far better than others.
After I started up this blog, I signed up with several content mills to find out what the fuss was all about. Wow. That was an experience. I told myself I’d research each one for at least a couple of months, but I couldn’t bear to carry on for long. Every time I delivered an article to a content mill, I sat there thinking, “I could’ve sold that somewhere else for at least $100. Here it’s worth $5. This is so wrong.”
My research taught me two things:
(1) You will never earn a good living as a content mill writer.
(2) Man, those content mill writers are tough. No other way they could possibly survive in that environment. They deserve respect, and I hope they escape to better-paid gigs ASAP.
>>”This is so wrong.”<>”(1) You will never earn a good living as a content mill writer.
(2) Man, those content mill writers are tough. No other way they could possibly survive in that environment. They deserve respect, and I hope they escape to better-paid gigs ASAP.”<<
Oh, I agree, but how are they going to do that when many (most?) customers want something for nothing? As unreal as that preference is, said customers tend to stick to their delusions.
Just recently, a friend and colleague conferred with a prospect with a large book that requires editing. According to the poster, the page count is 300,000 (this must be an error, as a typical set of encyclopedias consists of far fewer pages). My friend pitched $2,500 for what she anticipated to be about 1,000 pages (and even THAT would be cheap for such an extensive project) . The poster thought that to be too expensive and went elsewhere. This outcome doesn't negate the high value of work, however, so I told her not to second-guess herself or feel guilty over her personal rate. She deserves to get paid what she is worth, especially for such a big job.
Oops. That first brief comment disappeared for some reason, hence the extra hook marks at the beginning. Sorry about that. The post still makes sense, though, so there’s no problem.
Thanks to everyone for a really interesting chain, and thank you Sophie. I, too, am just starting out, so following all this very carefully.
Hey Sophie,
I found this on a freelance-translation site and thought it important enough to share. Others should read and follow these terms if for no other reason than to protect themselves as professions.
http://www.translatorscafe.com/tcterms/help/?ctg=C&HelpID=56
Know the laws and the standards in your profession/industry. This information will ensure your survival and your success.
Good luck!
Could you please do an article about how to handle it when you feel the client is bullying you for a price quote, right now, or else? Or the client who wants the quote before all the details are sorted out, only to then throw an avalanche of unfavorable terms? What are some preventative measures for such?
If you feel a client (or potential client) is bullying you, then either (A) you’re dealing with a crappy person who is always a pushy jackass, or (B) you’re perceiving someone as a bully when all they’re actually doing is placing their own priorities above yours. If it’s (A), walk politely away and regret nothing. If it might be (B), though, then you’ll benefit from taking an emotional step back and viewing the situation from a more neutral, logical point of view.
The only appropriate response to “Give me a quote right now, or else” is “Or else what?” — your prospects actually have zero ability to “or else” you. The worst they can do is choose not to assign you the gig, and that’s fine because there are other gigs available.
The only appropriate response to “Give me a quote now before we have the details sorted out” is “What exactly am I quoting for?” — don’t let someone else’s lack of project certainty become your problem. 😉
And if you give a quote but then the client wants to add a bunch of unfavourable terms afterwards, you just say “OK, I’ll come back to you tomorrow with my revised quote based on the new project scope and terms you’ve just outlined.” You are NOT obligated to stick to a quote if the project changes substantially. (Call your quotes *estimates* if that’ll help you feel more confident in telling clients you’re going to adjust the figures!)
Well, I do private tutoring. Oftentimes the parent will call me and vaguely inquire, and won’t put the phone down without a number or at least a ballpark range. I live in a very diverse area, both geographically and economically. It’s hard to just blurt out a number without assessing the situation more than just knowing I’m doing “some” tutoring.
In that case, the best way to handle it is to prepare a document that lays out your *usual* service packages along with guideline prices (“starting from $XXX”), and offer to email it to the parent. If they don’t want it emailed because they want to hear numbers immediately, read the document aloud down the phone to them. (Also if you have a website for your services, put a copy of your package details on there too to save time!)
If after checking that information out, they want something that’s the equivalent of your package A plus two things from package B, or the equivalent of your package C with a couple of things left out to cut the cost, you still just say “OK, I’ll get back to you with my revised quote based on the specific scope and terms you’ve requested.”
Thanks. I find the question always comes at the wrong moment when my mind isn’t in the right frame!!!
The other problem I run into a lot is that some people (both parents and students) can be too friendly to me to play ball with. Some parents seem to have this down to a science. Do you run into clients who are too friendly to do business with?
Thanks for answer one of my questions recently. I have another regular issue. A lot of my initial negotiations happen by e-mail. One reason I often mess up is when the client goes completely silent. What do you do in those situations to wake the negotiation up again without offering too much of a concession or showing a weak hand? After all, every week that goes by in silence is one week I’m not making anything from that potential client, so it’s a tough balance.